Same Donald Trump-owned golf club is separately accused of causing floods that led to $240,000 worth of damage to New York village of Briarcliff Manor

"An attempt by Donald Trump to slash the property tax bill on a golf club outside New York City may be undermined by records indicating that he previously said the property was worth 35 times more than the value he is now trying to convince a judge to approve.

The Republican presidential frontrunner is suing the town of Ossining in Westchester County to reduce the taxes on Trump National Golf Club, a 147-acre property with a lavish clubhouse and 18-hole course whose managers are separately accused of causing floods that led to $240,000 worth of damage to local public facilities.

Donald Trump bought the Briarcliff Manor golf course at foreclosure for about $8m in the mid-1990s. Photograph: Robert Kalfus/Splash NewsTrump’s lawsuit in county court argues that the luxurious private club, which he bought in foreclosure for about $8m in the mid-1990s before spending what he claimed at the club’s opening event was another $45m in improvements, has been unfairly assessed and is in fact worth only $1.4m.

“That is crazy low,” Fernando Gonzalez, the Ossining town assessor, said in an interview. Town authorities are fighting back against the allegations. “We believe they do not have a case,” said Gonzalez. Attorneys for Trump did not respond to questions.

Trump’s new valuation, however, contrasts with the 92-page financial disclosure document that he released to the US government as he embarked on his audacious campaign for the presidency last year. Trump listed the Westchester club and its manicured links as an asset worth more than $50m within his purported $10bn fortune. The club charges would-be members an $250,000 entry fee.

If his legal bid were successful, Trump’s club would reduce its town tax bill – which goes towards schools and other local services – by 90% or $424,176 per year. The billionaire’s gambit has infuriated some of the community’s less wealthy residents. “He should be made to pay it,” said Thomasina Laidley Brown, the chair of the local Democratic party. “We, the people that live here, don’t get any special favours, and I don’t think he should.”..."

It's obvious that the president*'s team cherry-picked an incomplete return and leaked it to shine the best possible light.

Maddow should've given it the two minutes of ridicule at the end of her show that it deserves.

Agreed. I generally like Maddow but she made a HUGE mistake this time, and the master manipulator himself, Trump, is laughing his a** off even while he pretends to a great indignation, once more calling NBC "fake news" (even though, as the White House acknowledged, there was nothing fake about the return).

Her ratings had doubled or more since Trump's election, but this is close to a career-ending faux pas. Can't believe her Rhodes Scholar self was so easily fooled. I'd like to think she'll somehow have the last laugh, but that would only happen if someone somehow leaked a whole passel of more recent returns complete with all the supporting forms and worksheets. Not likely.

It's obvious that the president*'s team cherry-picked an incomplete return and leaked it to shine the best possible light.

Maddow should've given it the two minutes of ridicule at the end of her show that it deserves.

Even David Cay Johnson said he thought Trump might have sent him that specific tax return. But that's not really the point, is it? The alternative minimum tax must be a thorn in Der Furor's side. He wants to do away with it.

And what about the undervaluation of the golf club for tax purposes, vs. the more specious valuation on his financial disclosure forms?

Even David Cay Johnson said he thought Trump might have sent him that specific tax return. But that's not really the point, is it? The alternative minimum tax must be a thorn in Der Furor's side. He wants to do away with it.

And what about the undervaluation of the golf club for tax purposes, vs. the more specious valuation on his financial disclosure forms?

There's not doubt that there is a mountain of malfeasance that should be investigated and exposed, but that's what makes it so silly to make such a production over a document that was carefully selected to shine the best possible light on Der Furor.

She should've given it two minutes of the "look at this ridiculous document they've released as a distraction" treatment.

Sal wrote:There's not doubt that there is a mountain of malfeasance that should be investigated and exposed, but that's what makes it so silly to make such a production over a document that was carefully selected to shine the best possible light on Der Furor.

She should've given it two minutes of the "look at this ridiculous document they've released as a distraction" treatment.

Exactly so. And I'm a little disappointed in her reaction to the criticism today, basically blaming it on the viewers if their expectations were greater than what she'd indicated might be revealed. Starting to act like Trump? SAD.

It's obvious that the president*'s team cherry-picked an incomplete return and leaked it to shine the best possible light.

Maddow should've given it the two minutes of ridicule at the end of her show that it deserves.

but that would only happen if someone somehow leaked a whole passel of more recent returns complete with all the supporting forms and worksheets. Not likely.

That's a Federal crime.

For the IRS to reveal returns, yes. For anyone else, such as family member or acquaintance or business associate or whatever, don't know. Definitely NOT a crime for Maddow to reveal something that landed in her lap - your beloved First Amendment protects her in that case.

If you live/vote in the first congressional district of Florida like I do then Matt Gaetz is your representative. On February 23, 2017 in a town hall meeting in Pace he responded to the demands of his constituents by saying that he agreed with them that the president should turn over his tax returns. When he had an opportunity to vote on same he voted "No". The Gaetz part of this clip is at 3 minutes 25 seconds and runs roughly to a little after four minutes. I would encourage anyone who thinks he should follow through on his statements in Pace to send him an email or give his office a call.

I refuse to watch Maddow's show anymore. She is out of touch. I hold her and her MSNBC circular firing squad partially responsible for the election of President Trump......she has no perspective and creates a tempest in a teapot, but fails to grasp the totality of situations. Of course this tax return was cherry picked and leaked by the President. One tax return does not give you enough information, yet Maddow is oblivious to the big picture. She is a good person. She is extremely intelligent. However, she is living in an ivory tower, and she took a lot of people down failing to focus on jobs and trade policy, and night after night trying to make Donald Trump look stupid. I will probably never watch her show again.

2seaoat wrote:I refuse to watch Maddow's show anymore. She is out of touch. I hold her and her MSNBC circular firing squad partially responsible for the election of President Trump......she has no perspective and creates a tempest in a teapot, but fails to grasp the totality of situations. Of course this tax return was cherry picked and leaked by the President. One tax return does not give you enough information, yet Maddow is oblivious to the big picture. She is a good person. She is extremely intelligent. However, she is living in an ivory tower, and she took a lot of people down failing to focus on jobs and trade policy, and night after night trying to make Donald Trump look stupid. I will probably never watch her show again.

Yes, sometimes she really drags things out to a frustrating degree but eventually she connects the dots. I think her continued focus on 45's Russian connections are helpful and may prove to be, if not the cause of his demise at least a formidable thorn in his side. He does not need her help to make him look stupid.

Last night David Cay Johnston was wondering if, as you said, 45 had leaked the returns himself, a possibility for sure. Tonight he (Johnston) said he had changed his mind since 45 gets upset over leaks that he himself does not initiate. He named several leaks in the past that should have upset Trump but did not. His reasoning was that he had leaked them on purpose.

This will play out. Congress is heating up over the Russian connections. The Judiciary Committee (?) will subpoena for testimony and sort this out.

PkrBum wrote:The real world deals with real issues. You have no right to trump's tax returns... deal with it.

In a sense you are correct, we have no legal right to see the returns however it has become, out of respect for the country and the voters, an expected tradition that candidates show their returns. It is a way of proving they are above board, honest and trustworthy, which Trump has shown he is not.

PkrBum wrote:The real world deals with real issues. You have no right to trump's tax returns... deal with it.

In a sense you are correct, we have no legal right to see the returns however it has become, out of respect for the country and the voters, an expected tradition that candidates show their returns. It is a way of proving they are above board, honest and trustworthy, which Trump has shown he is not.

PkrBum wrote:The real world deals with real issues. You have no right to trump's tax returns... deal with it.

I find it strange that you accuse me of not being in touch with the real world at a time when the president is not. He wants to build a wall to keep out people who largely enter the country via visas and then over-stay. A wall to keep out people entering the country when we are at an all time low of any such traffic.

He proposes a ban on entry for people from countries that have not produced any terrorist acts in our country for decades and who are already vetted for months and months, hardly the hoards of people he imagines are somehow magically reaching our borders from the Middle East.

He imagines nonexistent wiretapping, huge crowds at his inauguration, millions of illegal voters voting in the 2016 election, crowds dancing in the street in new Jersey after the 9-11 attacks, his own superior intelligence etc. and you accuse me of not being in the real world? Really?

It's obvious that the president*'s team cherry-picked an incomplete return and leaked it to shine the best possible light.

Maddow should've given it the two minutes of ridicule at the end of her show that it deserves.

but that would only happen if someone somehow leaked a whole passel of more recent returns complete with all the supporting forms and worksheets. Not likely.

That's a Federal crime.

For the IRS to reveal returns, yes. For anyone else, such as family member or acquaintance or business associate or whatever, don't know. Definitely NOT a crime for Maddow to reveal something that landed in her lap - your beloved First Amendment protects her in that case.

I believe Trump mailed these to the reporter, otherwise there would be charges. Why wasn't the whole returned sent? Just two pages that had client copy stamped on them?

I also believe his adviser's are working on putting fake evidence together in regards to the wiretapping. My mind just reels when I see his supporter's sticking behind him. Not many I work with still back him up. Yes, there is a lot of fake news out there but when you see him on TV and the words come out of his mouth, not very fake.

It's obvious that the president*'s team cherry-picked an incomplete return and leaked it to shine the best possible light.

Maddow should've given it the two minutes of ridicule at the end of her show that it deserves.

but that would only happen if someone somehow leaked a whole passel of more recent returns complete with all the supporting forms and worksheets. Not likely.

That's a Federal crime.

For the IRS to reveal returns, yes. For anyone else, such as family member or acquaintance or business associate or whatever, don't know. Definitely NOT a crime for Maddow to reveal something that landed in her lap - your beloved First Amendment protects her in that case.

I believe Trump mailed these to the reporter, otherwise there would be charges. Why wasn't the whole returned sent? Just two pages that had client copy stamped on them?

I also believe his adviser's are working on putting fake evidence together in regards to the wiretapping. My mind just reels when I see his supporter's sticking behind him. Not many I work with still back him up. Yes, there is a lot of fake news out there but when you see him on TV and the words come out of his mouth, not very fake.

He had to show something. What better year than 05 when Natasha Kurva applied for citizenship?